Oregon law changes

Oregon law regarding the use of unaccredited degrees has changed. The result of SB 1039 is, in brief, as follows:

1. Unaccredited religious schools will have to undergo much more rigorous quality oversight to operate in Oregon.

2. The use of degrees from state-approved unaccredited schools is decriminalized and civil fines are not applied, provided that any person using such a degree includes a disclaimer stating "Unaccredited and not approved by Office of Degree Authorization" in all published uses including resumes, web sites etc.

4. Failure to use the disclaimer drops the user back into the civil/criminal violation category.

5. The use of degrees from U.S. entities that don't have state approval will be treated by the Dept of Justice as straight fraud cases and such users cannot use a disclaimer.

6. The use of foreign degrees parallels the use of U.S. degrees, with the legal status of foreign degrees governed by our existing regulatory scheme: the degree must be legal for use in the issuing country on the same terms as other local degrees and the school must have applied for and received the legal authority to issue degrees in the same way as do other schools in that country. Therefore, fakes like St. Regis, Athenaeum, Irish International and the like would be treated as straight frauds.

Also note that the states of Maine, Texas, Nevada and Michigan have new laws restricting the use of unaccredited degrees.

In response to the questions raised about differing terminology on the ODA web site, the ODA lists will be reconfigured and remounted in late September to reflect the new statute. We intend to use clearer standardized language; we recognize that although some of the wording makes sense to us, it may not make sense to the audiences.

 

Does there exist any website with a state-by-state listing of state laws on unaccredited degrees saying basically these states have no laws on unaccredited degrees, those states absolutely forbid the use of unaccredited degrees (and here's your penalty, buddy), and these other states allow you to use unaccredited degrees only if you disclose their unaccredited status, etc.?

 

There is no such list, and the number of states regulating use is growing so quickly, with so many variations, that it would be hard to track. There are now seven states with some kind of regulation (there were only two five years ago) and we expect at least four more in 2006, maybe twice that. That does not include New York and California, both of which are discussing the issue internally.

By the way, Michigan accidentally made it illegal to use ANY foreign degree, so they'll need to do a little fine-tuning. Additional irony is that Michigan's governor, who signed the bill, is originally from Canada. Looks like her education advisor needs glasses.

I expect fewer absolute bans and more evaluative systems and disclaimer requirements. Watch court cases in Texas in the next year, that is where major issues will be decided.

Also watch for trick plays in Congress - whenever a legislative body is so utterly devoid of not only principle but even interest in policy, weird things can happen.

 

Dr. Contreras,

Thanks for this update. It has new and useful information and provides some Gatorade to the weary mill hunter.

Good move, which hopefully, puts the diploma mills and purveyors of fraudulent and substandard "degrees" on notice.

The universe of such mills and fraudulent DL enterprises is, unfortunately, so large that one wonders if Oregon (or any state, for that matter) will go after them proactively, or will only deal with them if and when they come to the state's attention.

Question:

Does Oregon have plans to, at least, share information with other states' AG, Education, and Consumer Protection offices in tracking/prosecuting such frauds?

For example, if a mill known to be operating or selling fraudulent or substandard degrees in Oregon is observed to have moved operations to, say, Wyoming?

Music to my ears!

More music to my ears!

Thanks.

 

New Texas Law

Here is a link to the new law in Texas, which is effective on September 1, 2005.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/tlo/textframe.cmd?LEG=79&SESS=R&CHAMBER=H&BILLTYPE=B&BILLSUFFIX=01173&VERSION=5&TYPE=B

Tom Rogers, BA, MA, MEd, MLS
San Jacinto College,
Houston, TX

 

These make sense; they provide a useful definition of a fraudulent degree and clearly separate it from the quality assurance issues that may or may not be associated with state-approved and state-licensed schools.

Dave

 

Thanks, Alan, for the update. Best wishes to you, J.

 

Re: Re: Oregon law changes

Hello Dave,

I am now wondering, will this make a better acceptance to schools such as CPU and other State approved schools?

This is kind of what I am comprehending. If a state has US DOE recognition as a state accreditor, then wouldnt that make the state approved schools accredited?

Curious.

 

Contreras:
"...the [foreign] degree must be legal for use in the issuing country on the same terms as other local degrees and the school must have applied for and received the legal authority to issue degrees in the same way as do other schools in that country. Therefore, fakes like St. Regis, Athenaeum, Irish International and the like would be treated as straight frauds."

Bear:
And Knightsbridge, too, it would seem.

 

Re: Re: Re: Oregon law changes

If you mean that degrees from California State Approved schools will be better accepted by employers anywhere in the US, then I would have to say that I doubt it. However, it does cleave unaccredited schools cleanly into the classifications of legal and illegal in Oregon and perhaps the trend will continue with the legislation in other states. If the trend continues, then it may be easier to explain a legal, unaccredited degree on a resume, with questions of degree quality assurance left to individual's situation.

Dave

 

What about Rober Sornone in France?

They are private college under the law.

Just curius?

Thanks

 

I'm anxious to see some really solid enforcement work on this by the ODA along with a number of uncontested convictions. Will the ODA be posting capture and conviction stats? Does the criminal with the incorrect business card get a cease and desist warning first as in the old law or does all hell break loose on sight?

 

Sir John is right, Knightsbridge would be treated a straight fraud case because the Danish government denies that it has the legal authority to issue recognized degrees. Robert de Sorbon would probably be similar, since the French government does not treat them as a college.

As to whether a California-approved school would become accredited if the state got approval as an accreditor, the answer is a qualified yes. Any degrees issued by a California accredited school after the date that the state became an approved accreditor would be accredited degrees, provided that the school met the new standards that California would presumably have to impose in order to get federal approval. In practice, what would happen is that every Cal school would have to get reapproved by the state after the state became an accreditor.

 

I believe this is a step in the right direction. However, I always wandered how are legal and medical degrees treated. Do these degrees fall under the Jurisdiction of the ODA or under the Jurisdiction of their respective profesional organizations?

Thanks!

 

The Beginning of the End???

Who says that the good guys never win? Maybe once we see some of "Dr." Neil Hayes' "customers" prosecuted for using their phony degrees, it will be the last we'll hear of this creep and his bogus school. Additionally, once Hayes is no longer burdened with the administrative tasks involved with Knightsbridge, he'll have more time to spend with his beloved brown teal ducks.

http://wairarapa.co.nz/times-age/weekly/2002/ducks.html

 

Re: The Beginning of the End???

What I can't figure out is why Neil Hayes' work couldn't have been recognized with an honorary doctorate from a legally-operating institution of higher learning; it does seem significant but may not be scholarly in that discipline.

As my dear old Grandmother would have said, "He took his ducks to a poor market!"

Dave

 

Re: The Beginning of the End???

Tom

I am confused by your post. Are you saying Neil is selling degrees by Knightsbridge? If so this is the first I've heard that. Is it possible you are confusing Neil and Henrik?

 

Re: Re: The Beginning of the End???

I agree. It is sad to see the other work he has done marred by two degree mill degrees. I guess we each choose our own road. I am just very surprised when some are so intent on choosing the degree mill path.

 

Re: Re: The Beginning of the End???

Thanks for the opportunity to clarify my remarks. While Henrik Kristensen is the Vice-Chancellor and "administrator" of Knightsbridge, it is "Dr." Neil Hayes' role as tireless (and shameless) promoter of Knightsbridge to which I'm referring. While we don't know the full scope of Hayes' actual role in Knightsbridge as a business venture, we do know that his involvement is far more than merely being the recipient of a bogus doctorate. When Knightsbridge closes its doors, Hayes will have a lot more time on his hands.

Hayes portrays himself as both a conservationist and gun aficionado, an academic and a businessman; these confusing and somewhat contradictory signals have resulted in a situation surrounding "Dr." Hayes that are long on rumors and short on facts.

http://www.hayesandassociates.co.nz/

Perhaps I have it all wrong and "Dr." Hayes' apparent shilling for Knightsbridge is simply his way of endorsing an educational institution from which he obtained a doctorate? Maybe "Dr." Hayes would like to publicly comment on his relationship with Knightsbridge here on Degreeinfo. He can put an end to the rumors (or rumours if will make him more comfortable) and speculation by many in the DL community if he categorically states that he has no ongoing relationship with Knightsbridge.